The Frost Youkai
by invatercat
Summary: Natsume was alone, scared, and lost. But after his encounter with Jack Frost, who claims to be a guardian, he can walk away feeling a bit better about himself. (No pairings or OCs. ONESHOT)


**The Frost Youkai**

**A ROTG and Natsume Yuujinchou crossover.**

* * *

Young Natsume sat at the bank of a river, hiding his red, puffy eyes. He had gotten lost while walking home from school yet again, and to make it worse a youkai chased him and he was also bullied by some other children. He was all alone, crying. He was so close to the river water that the tips of his shoes were wet, and the coolness of the liquid touched his toes while soaking through his socks.

The cold wind rushed past, the hat on his small head being flung off and into the cold water.

"H-HEY!" Natsume cried, reaching after the hat and falling face first into the extremely cold water.

Natsume struggled to get back up. His breath left him as he panicked. He couldn't get a good hold on the muddy dirt under the water, thus slipping and falling over and over again, never once regaining his breath. Suddenly, just as he became fearful for his tiny life, a hand grabbed the back of his red jacket and pulled him up, setting him back, a few inches farther from the river, and into the grass. He regained his breath, his eyes tearing up from the frightful situation he was just in.

When Natsume's breath calmed and he could see clearly, he was still shivering from the cold and without his hat.

"Hey, this is your's , right?"

Natsume looked up to see an other boy, probably in his 16s or 17s, with snow white hair and ice blue eyes, handing him his hat. Natsume took it, ignoring it's wet fabric and plopping it onto his head. He looked back at the older teen, noting his savior's blue jacket and brown pants, both of which were stained with frost. His skin was almost white, and in his hands was a wooden staff. This person was not a human!

"G-GAH! You're one of them!" Natsume freaked out, shooting up and backing up, only to slip and fall onto his back. "Get away from me! Leave me alone!"

As the boy began to cry more, the older teen gave the child a confused look. Who was he talking about? Why was he so scared? Sure, he was drowning a few seconds ago and that would scare anyone, but...but he had been saved.

"H-hold on, now. Who are you talking about?" The older teen tilted his head, choosing not to get any closer to the child.

"You're a youkai!"

Now the older teen could laugh, but that normally made children upset even more. He side and sat down on the grass, placing his staff down.

"I'm not a Youkai. I'm a guardian." The teen explained with a welcoming smile. "My name is Jack Frost."

Natsume stared at Jack.

"What's a guardian?"

Jack moved a bit closer to the child.

"A guardian is a person who watches over the children of the world."

Natsume yawned, for he had a long day was getting sleepy. He shivered in his jacket, trying to think about this person.

"Is that why you saved me?" Natsume asked, looking up at Jack.

"There was no reason to leave you. Besides, you looked like you needed someone to be there." Jack gave a warm smile. "Anyway, where is your parents? I can take you home if you'd like."

Natsume didn't reply. He didn't want to go home. It was warm and there was food, but there was a girl who hated him and a couple who didn't actually think of him as a son. There was even a youkai that wouldn't leave him alone there. Truthfully, it was not home.

Natsume stood up, walked over to Jack, and sat down next to the guardian, wrapping his hand around the guardian's arm, and leaning his small head on the guardian's upper arm and shoulder. Natsume began to quietly cry.

"I don't wanna go back there. They don't love me. They don't like me. They don't believe me and they only act nice because I was forced to stay there."

Jack gazed at the boy.

"What's your name?"

"Natsume...Natsume Takashi." The boy quietly replied.

After a bit of silence, Jack got an idea.

"Hey Takashi. How about we play a game?"

Natsume looked up at Jack. "A game?"

"Let's play hide and seek." Jack suggested.

Natsume smiled. "Okay!"

"I'll count!" Jack said, turnning around and closing his eyes.

"One...Two...Three...Four...Five..."

Natsume raced to get up, looking around for a good place to hide. He setteled with behind the tree a few feet away. Once he got there, he tired his best to keep quite.

"Six...seven...eight...nine..."

Natsume smiled, being able to see his warm breath in the cold air. But that all went away when he felt something grab his feet. He turned around, squeaking in shock, to see a youkai's arms wrapped around his ankle.

"J-JACK!" Natsume screamed.

"HOLD ON!"

Time seemed to slow as Jack ran over, grabbing Natsume and pulling the kid into his arms, then taking his staff and slashing at the Youkai's arm. The staff froze the youkai, and with one more hit, the youkai was gone. Jack huffed, glaring at where the youkai once was. His face soften when he turned to the kid in his arms, who was silently crying yet again.

"Jack...you can see them too. Jack..." Natsume's hands gripped the guardian's jacket.

"It's alright, Takashi. I won't let them hurt you."

And Jack let the boy cry in his arms, all while keeping him calm. This child was different. This child was special. This child was once Jack didn't want to say goodbye too.

* * *

"You'll be back tomorrow, right?" Natsume asked, holding hands with Jack as he was walked home.

"Of course! You behave until then, you hear?"

Natsume giggeled.

"Okay, so you run home now. I'll see you tomorrow, just as I promised." Jack smiled as they stopped in front of Natsume's foster house.

Natsume looked up at the teen. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome."

Then Natsume ran off, not as fearful and lonely as he was before.


End file.
